Season 2014

• An experienced and successful competitor in WRC support categories and other rally series

• This year Hanninen has a chance to make his mark in the top class with Hyundai

• Already confirmed for the second Hyundai in Sweden. He must be a good bet for Finland too

• Not one for unnecessary displays of emotion, Hanninen is a cool customer

The story so far

Juho Hänninen is the latest in a long line of talented Finns that have graduated to the FIA World Rally Championship after impressing at domestic level.

His first WRC outing came at Rally Sweden in 2006 where he won the Gp N category and finished 15th overall. The 32-year-old became a regular in the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship after that, before trying his hand in Super 2000 machinery.

He scooped the first of his three international championship titles in 2010 as victories in Argentina, Sardinia and Scotland ensured he won the IRC title. He then added the Super 2000 World Rally Championship crown to his CV in 2011 with wins in Greece, Finland and Spain.

A year later, Hänninen won through in the battle for the FIA European Rally Championship after winning four rounds outright. But it was in 2013 that he reminded people of his WRC pedigree by winning a stage on Rallye Monte Carlo aboard a Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

This proved to be one of the achievements that convinced Hyundai Motorsport to sign Hänninen as a second driver for its 2014 WRC assault. The Finn has already been confirmed in a Hyundai i20 WRC for Sweden and he must be a good bet for Finland, too.